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10/07/2026
Tony Robbins says perfection is the lowest standard a human being can have.
It’s the thing quietly keeping you stuck. That voice telling you it’s not good enough? It’s rarely measuring against anyone’s standard but your own.
I got into all of this with on the podcast recently it’s a brilliant conversation on why it holds so many of us back. DM me and I’ll send you the link.
Any recovering perfectionist out there?
Meet Chris Ballantyne
He didn’t come from the typical City mould.
State school. An accent he was told wouldn’t fly in London law. People did impressions of him in the corridors.
He made it anyway.
Addleshaw Goddard. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Vice President at Deutsche Bank’s distressed products desk. Multi-billion-dollar restructurings.
By every conventional measure, he’d made it.
Then he did the maths.
One snowboarding trip a year from the age of 32 to 60? That’s just 28 more trips.
Then his grandfather passed away.
And a once-in-a-lifetime conversation with Arnold Schwarzenegger gave him the confidence to back himself.
So he did.
Today, Chris still restructures.
But instead of billion-dollar deals, he helps high achievers restructure how they train, eat, think and live - so they can come off autopilot and build a body and mind that match the career they’ve worked so hard to build.
His clients include law firm partners, bankers, founders and senior executives who want to perform at a high level without sacrificing everything outside of work.
His belief is simple: high performance shouldn’t come at the expense of your health. With the right guidance, ambitious professionals don’t have to choose between a successful career and a fulfilling life.
- thank you for your honesty, your openness and for such a thoughtful conversation. I have no doubt this episode will resonate with so many people working in banking, finance, law and beyond. And I’m already looking forward to part 2!
🎙️ The full episode is out now.
DM me and I’ll send you the link to watch it.
If you’d like to work with , send him a DM. He responds personally to every message.
08/07/2026
Everyone assumes the best in-house lawyers are the ones with the most knowledge.
In my experience, it’s almost the opposite. Technical knowledge is a must. The in-house lawyers the business trusts are the ones who stay calm when there’s no clear answer - and make the call anyway.
That kind of judgment isn’t something you’re taught. You build it slowly: through exposure, through pressure, and through the occasional decision you get wrong and never forget.
It’s the least visible part of the job. And the most valuable.
Follow for more in-house realities.
04/07/2026
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that certainty is overrated.
Most meaningful career decisions are made with incomplete information. You prepare as well as you can, exercise good judgment, and then you move.
Waiting until you feel completely ready often means waiting too long.
Confidence is a receipt you get after making the decision.
What’s the next move you’ve been putting off?
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